Revolver.



- Pa tented Aug. l3,-l90l. J. J. PEARD.

REVOLVER.

(Application filed Dec. 4, 1900.)

(No Model.)

, of the trigger.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JAMES J. PEARD, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO (JOLTS PATENT FIREARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REVOLVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,274, dated August 13, 1901. Application filed December 4, 1900. Serial No, 38,617. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. PEARD, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Revolvers, of which the following is a specification.

' The invention relates to improvements in revolvers, and particularly to improvements in the firing mechanism thereof; and the object of the invention is to provide simple and .eflicient means for preventing the accidental discharge of a cartridge when the firing mechanism is in its rebounded position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation, partly in section, of a. portion of a revolver, showing the firing mechanism in its firing position with the hammer fully down and before "the release Fig. 2 is a corresponding view showing the firing mechanism in its normal rebounded position after the release of the trigger. o

In said drawings the invention is shown embodied in the firing mechanism of a revolver that is provided in the usual manner with a frame a, and a cylinder 1). A hammer c and trigger d are pivoted to the frame, and a cylinder-pawl 6, only the lower portion of which is shown in Fig. 2, is pivotally attached to the trigger, so that the hammer may be cocked directly by pressure upon the thumbpiece or indirectly by operating the trigger. In either case the hammer is released to fire a shot by the last of the rearward movement of the trigger, and the operation of the trigger actuates the cylinder-pawl, so as to bring the cartridges in the cylinder successively in line with the firing-point of the hammer. Below the hammer and in rear of the trigger a two-armed rebound-lever f is pivoted to the frame, one arm of which extends forwardly and is provided with a slot by which it engages a stud 9 upon the trigger, so that the rebound-lever and the trigger shall move together. The upper surface of the rearwardlyextending arm of said lever forms a cam h, adapted to bear upon the hammer at a point below and forward of the hammer-pivot, and the rebound-spring t yieldingly forces this arm of the lever upward, and .thereby,through the forwardlyextending arm, returns the trigger, after its release, to its normal posi-- tion, as shownin Fig. 2. During this return movement of the trigger the cam his brought to bear against the hammer and forces the same from its firing position, as shown in Fig. 1, to itsrebounded position, as showuin Fig. 2. A downward extension j is provided upon the h ub of the reboundlever, that bears against the rear edge of the trigger to prevent the hammer from being forced forward and from striking the cartridge. Any force tending to throw the hammer forward causes the strut 7c of the hammer to press upon the trigger andis transmitted through the trigger to the extension of the lever, which tends to force the cam h upward, and thereby supports the hammer against movement in a forward direction. These parts of the firing mechanism and their operation are well known and do not require further description.

While the arrangement above described, if carefully constructed, will prevent forward movement of the hammer, this invention provides means for always lockin g the rebounded hammer positively against forward movement. To accomplish this result, the rear arm of the rebound-lever is extended so as to project beyond the hammer and is provided at its extremity with an upward bend having a hook Z, formed integral therewith to engage in a notch m, formed in the rear edge of the hammer. As the hammer is being cooked and released the simultaneous movement of the trigger and lever withdraws the lever and the hook out of the path of the hammer, as shown in Fig. 1; but when the trigger-is released the spring t' returns the trigger and the lever to their normal positions, at the same time causing the hammer to rebound and the hook to be raised and forced into engagement with the notch in the hammer, thus positively locking the same in its rebounded position, as shown in Fig. 2.

Heretofore a very accurate fitting of a number of parts has been required at various points to retain the hammer in its rebounded position, and since the strut 7s requires some clearance above the point of the trigger to allow the released trigger to return to its normal position below the strut this clearance and a slight error in the height of the cam on the lever are likely to make the support of the hammer insecure, so that under a force in that direction the firing-point of the hammer might reach the cartridge. Likewise a slight wearing at certain of the contacts results in rendering the support of the hammer insecure.

By this improved construction a means is provided for positively locking the hammer in its rebounded position and holding the hammer against forward movement. The same lever that causes the hammer to rebound also serves to lock it, thus avoiding the introduction. of any additional parts or complications. The locking of the hammer is not dependent on the close fitting ot' a number of parts and is not liable to be injuriously affected by the clearance between said parts, but is produced positively and in such a way that an accidental discharge is impossible.

Although the invention has been shown embodied in a revolver, it is obvious that the same is applicable to other classes of. firearms.

I claim as my invention 1. In a revolver, a hammer and a lever engaging with said hammer to cause the same to rebound and interlocking with said hammer in its rebounded position, substantially as described.

2. In a revolver, a hammer and a lever engaging with said hammer to cause the same to rebound and provided with a hook for intel-locking with said hammer in its rebounded position, substantially as described.

3. In a revolver, the combination with a hammer having a notch formed therein, of a lever provided with a cam engaging with the hammer to rebound same, and a hook formed integral with the lever and interlocking with the notch in said hammer when same is in its rebounded position, substantially as described.

4. In a revolver, the combination with a ham mer having a notch formed therein, and

a trigger, of a two'armed lever, one of said arms being connected with the trigger and the other arm engaging with the hammer to cause same to rebound and being provided with a 1100K for interlocking with the notch in the hammer when same is in its rebounded position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI sign this application, in the presence of two witnesses, this 30th day of November, 1900.

JAMES J. 'PEARD.

Witnesses:

C. J. EHBETS, R. L. PEARD. 

